Case Number 08368

WINDHORSE

The Charge

In Tibet, nothing is more dangerous than the truth.

Opening Statement

As an online reviewer, I rarely think about the freedom of speech that I
exercise when I write a review. At the end of the day, I can say whatever I want
about the films that I review, even if it pisses off a lot of people. I don't
live in fear that my reviews will be removed, and I definitely don't get scared
that I will be beaten in prison because of them. Windhorse is a film that
reminds me how lucky I am to have that freedom, and acts as a reminder that it
isn't shared by everyone.

Facts of the Case

Many years after the death of their grandfather at the hands of the Chinese,
Dorjee (Jampa Kelsang) and Dolkar (Dadon) have moved to Lhasa, the capital city
of Tibet. Their cousin Pema (name withheld) is a nun at a nearby monastery. Each
of them have a different outlook on the Chinese occupation. Dorjee is tired of
small resistance movements, but fears getting involved in anything more
dangerous. Instead, he spends most of his time smoking and drinking. Dolkar is
making waves as a popular local singer, but her Chinese boyfriend is pressuring
her to sing pro-Chinese songs in order to kick start a recording career.
Meanwhile, Pema is angry as the government cracks down on her monastery. When a
protest lands Pema in prison, Dorjee and Dlkar must decide whether to risk their
own safety to do what's right on their cousin's behalf.

The Evidence

On most levels, Windhorse isn't a great film. The acting is amateurish
and stiff, the script is clunky and heavy handed, and the cinematography is
awkward. These are all things that shouldn't happen during ordinary filming
circumstances. Windhorse, however, is anything but ordinary. Because it
tells the truth about the treatment of the Tibetan people at the hands of the
Chinese, the film had to be shot in secret. Director Paul Wagner and his crew
shot exteriors in Lhasa as tourists, secretly getting the footage they needed.
The rest of the film was shot in Nepal, where the government is frightened to
let anti-Chinese sentiments get out. They are, after all, the very small
neighbors of a grumpy super-power.

The result is a film that grew on me immensely as I watched. At first, I
found myself distracted by the amateurish look and feel. Quickly, though, I
realized that I was seeing something I hadn't been able to see before. I have
seen a number of films about Tibet, and I've had the same complaint about all of
them. Almost without fail, the attempts at showing the results of the Chinese
occupation have been blunt and one-sided. Finally, this is a film that feels
different. The focus here is on the way that Chinese propaganda and manipulation
actually works, rather than just showing overt systems of control. Although
there is violence here, it's not much more invasive than constant surveillance
and a network of spies. I was also fascinated by the way that Dolkar is sucked
into helping out in the creation Chinese propaganda. It's both complex and
plausible.

Of course, the production situation meant that Wagner wasn't able to hire
professional actors to fill the roles. At first, this was a problem as the cast
stumbled through the choppy dialogue. As the film progressed, though, all of
them started to grow into their roles. By the end, the same actors were
delivering sincere, powerful performances. I'm not sure whether this was a
result of them adjusting to the world of filming, or whether it was just me
getting sucked in by the story. Either way, Windhorse is ultimately a
compelling and thought-provoking experience. It just takes a while to get
there.

New Yorker has delivered a fine disc, especially considering the quality of
the source. Since the crew was filming in secret, the whole film was shot using
mid-'90s digital consumer camcorders, which was then blown up to 35mm. As
expected, the results don't do justice to the stunning Tibetan scenery. That
said, the transfer doesn't look nearly as bad as it should. It is an anamorphic
transfer, and it has a surprising level of detail. The colors are accurate and
balanced, though there is an unintentional digital grain in dark scenes. It
looks like a high-quality television production from the era, and is more than
watchable. The stereo track is just as solid, with clear dialogue and a minimum
of background noise. The music has been well integrated, too. My only major
complaint is Devon's lip-synching during her music numbers, which is some of the
worst I have ever seen. The subtitles are generally well translated, although
there are several obvious errors.

This edition of Windhorse is also well stocked in the extras
department. There is a 20-minute featurette, explaining why the film was made
and some of the struggles that were faced during production. It's a good
featurette, and one that creates a lot more appreciation for the film. The other
major extra is a commentary track from Paul Wagner and his two co-authors,
Thupten Tsering and Julia Elliott. It covers a lot of the same information as
the featurette, though with a lot more detail. The context of Windhorse
is so important, and these two extras really deliver in explaining what we need
to know in order to understand and appreciate the film. The only other extra is
a gallery of production stills, which actually proves to be an impressive
collection of pictures.

Closing Statement

On the surface, Windhorse is a long way from becoming a classic. It
simply lacks the polish and skill of other films that have covered the topic of
the Chinese occupation of Tibet. This one comes from the heart, though, and has
been created with an authenticity and audacity that I have rarely seen. For that
spirit and heart, I warmly recommend Windhorse to anyone who has an
interest in international justice, and humanity in general. Just fight your way
through that first 20 minutes.

The Verdict

Not guilty. I applaud the nameless heroes who risked everything to bring us
this unique film.